The new old Tokyo
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The bright, racing, digital, 12 million person metropolis of Tokyo has gone all quiet and traditional. Tiny, obscured bars buried in dark alleyways behind nondescript doors are inviting small numbers of trusted patrons to quiet nights of reserved nightlife, and right now a word of mouth invitation to a small, basic bar is the hottest ticket in this technology-obsessed city. Recounted through a fine piece of travel writing Julia Chaplin of The Times strayed far from the well-trodden tourist grid and experienced the secretive, whispered nightlife chosen by Tokyo’s socialites and former party set. Embracing tradition and finding respite from an always-on connected lifestyle, Tokyo’s fashionistas, artists and designers are secretively guarding their new-found nightspots to enjoy quiet conversation and quality company in a more homely atmosphere than the more common western-style nightclubs and bars. A welcome change in Tokyo, the trend is unique in a global context – particularly in comparison to the fluorescent new rave invasion in London. [artwork by Hirofu ISO / Komainu]
1 comment
Chuck F Thursday 28 June 2007
This has alwayls been true in Japan, Clubs are mainly for the 25 and under crowd. Everybody else just goes out drinking at small bars, the drinking culture in Japan is intense.
Nothing new to see here really, just the article entirely misinterpeting things. There are very very few hipster exclusive bars, most of the time it’s just the bar you’ve been going to for awhile or is near a spot you like. Exclusive in the case she writes would be like finding a mom and pap bar in some low-pedesterian area in NY.
The fact she even mentions Le Baron as being some exclusive hipster place is laughable, it’s just Roppongi for people that are in Tokyo longer then a month and recently has next to zero Japanese in it.